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Monday, March 21, 2011

The Hammer Drops on Matt Cooke: 14-17 Games

Pittsburgh Penguins bad guy Matt Cooke had an in-person hearing in Toronto this afternoon and the league has ruled on his supplemental discipline for his elbow to the head of Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh during Sunday's game in Pittsburgh.

It appears that the league did the right thing in the matter and dished out the punishment that most experts and pundits felt was appropriate. The Pens have ten regular season games left and will play between 4 and 7 in the playoffs.

During the game, Cooke received a five-minute penalty for elbowing as well as a game misconduct for his hit on McDonagh. Cooke has been suspended three times for hits to the head and got away with questionable hits several other times the most notable being his hit on Marc Savard last year where no supplemental discipline was assigned.

This is his second hearing of this season as he received a four game suspension from Colin Campbell for his hit on Columbus's Fedor Tyutin for a hit from behind.

TORONTO (March 21, 2011) -- Pittsburgh Penguins forward Matt Cooke has beensuspended for the remainder of the regular season (10 games) and the first round of theStanley Cup Playoffs for delivering an elbow to the head of New York Rangers defensemanRyan McDonagh in NHL game #1080 yesterday, the National Hockey League announcedtoday. Cooke will forfeit $219,512.20 in salary.

“Mr. Cooke, a repeat offender, directly and unnecessarily targeted the head of anopponent who was in an unsuspecting and vulnerable position," said NHL Senior ExecutiveVice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell. "This isn't the first time this seasonthat we have had to address dangerous behavior on the ice by Mr. Cooke, and his conductrequires an appropriately harsh response."

Cooke’s most recent suspension was for four games on Feb. 9, 2011 and under theterms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement forfeits his salary based on the number ofgames in the season (82), rather than the number of days (186). The money goes to thePlayers’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

The incident occurred at 4:36 of the third period and Cooke was assessed a majorpenalty for elbowing and a game misconduct.

Cooke will miss Pittsburgh’s remaining 10 regular-season games and be ineligible forthe first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

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